Kampala, Uganda. 25 September 2025. Sweden will support Uganda’s trade through the Swedish Initiative for Facilitating Trade in Africa (SWIFT), a four-year (2024–2028) programme implemented by TradeMark Africa. The initiative will make cross-border trade faster, cheaper and more efficient by applying proven regional approaches tailored to national priorities. Covering the Abidjan-Lagos, Berbera, and LAPSSET corridors, SWIFT backs national-level interventions in East, West and Southern Africa that helps African countries cut red tape, adopt digital solutions, and expand access to regional and global markets. So far, Sweden has committed $15M for SWIFT as part of wider Swedish investment across key African corridors. Of this, approximately $5M will be directed to support interventions along the Northern Corridor, which is Uganda’s main trade route

According to the World Bank, Uganda’s exports of goods and services increased from about US$6.4 billion in 2021 to US$9.1 billion in 2024. As trade expands, the need for efficient systems has never been greater. Many traders – especially small businesses, women, and youth – still face delays and high costs caused by non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and limited digital tools.

Through the SWIFT partnership, Sweden will support Uganda in:

1. Cutting border delays by upgrading the non-tariff barriers reporting system so traders can resolve complaints faster across the East African Community and continental frameworks.
2. Opening new export markets by launching a data warehouse that allows coffee and other farm products to meet European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requirements.
3. Onboarding at least 500 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) – mostly women and youth – onto digital platforms, ensuring they benefit from faster clearance and better market access.

“This partnership shows how African countries can take ownership of regional trade reforms while delivering real benefits for farmers and entrepreneurs,” said Maria Håkansson, Swedish Ambassador to Uganda. Anna Nambooze, Country Director for TradeMark Africa in Uganda, added: “By joining a nimble and ready-made trade mechanism like SWIFT, Uganda is signalling that faster, fairer, and greener trade is possible – and that small businesses and women traders are at the centre of this transformation.”